The regulation of Ig synthesis after marrow transplantation. IV. T4 and T8 subset function in patients with chronic graft-vs-host disease.

This study compares pokeweed mitogen-activated immunoglobulin synthesis functions of T, T4 T8, and B cells from 13 marrow graft recipients with chronic graft-vs-host disease (GVHD), 10 long-term healthy marrow graft recipients, and 20 normal individuals. T cells expressed helper function (greater than 20% of the control) in eight of 10 long-term healthy patients and in only four of 13 patients with chronic GVHD. T4 cells expressed helper activity in all 10 long-term healthy patients, whereas T4 cells in four of 13 chronic GVHD patients did not express helper activity. Chronic GVHD patients had T cells (eight of 13), T4 cells (four of 13), and T8 cells (11 of 13) that suppressed immunoglobulin synthesis by normal T and B cells greater than 50%; radiosensitive and radioresistant suppressors were detected. Three of 10 patients with chronic GVHD and one of the long-term healthy patients had T4 cells that exhibited suppression. T cells from all 20 normal individuals expressed help and none suppressed immunoglobulin production. Altered T, T4, T8, and B cell functions were more frequent in patients with chronic GVHD than in long-term healthy patients or normals. Variable function within a T cell phenotype, variable radiosensitivity of suppressor cells, and higher frequencies of altered function in patients with chronic GVHD suggest there are different maturational stages expressed in each T cell phenotype.